Twig
by Kaira Sakamoto
Summary: When Florina joins the group for the very first time, everyone has mixed feelings about it. Kaira, the tactician, is rather happy she's here, except for that damn twig she carries...


_Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem. Pssh. If I did, I would ruin it within an inch of its life. Seeing as many people seem to enjoy it, I'll leave it be and stick to writing for it._

**One-Shot**

_**Twig**_

* * *

When Florina joined the small group against the bandits, there were different feelings all around. Sain was happy that a new _girl_ had shown up, and one that he viewed as a 'dazzling beauty,' which earned him some very painful smacks to the head. Kent didn't mind — the more people helping, the better, in his opinion; all the more to protect his lady liege. Wil, also a new addition to the small troop, didn't really seem to notice, and wouldn't have noticed if she hadn't been so frightened of him.

Kaira had to admit that watching them was an amusing sight. Florina's fear of the poor thing was a double whammy; not only was he an archer — as if that wasn't bad enough — he was also _male_. And then, thinking that Wil had somehow abused the hapless Pegasus knight, Lyn had chased after them, demanding the brown-haired youth to stand still so that she could kill him.

It wasn't until the archer was sporting some major bruises from the hilt of a sword being bashed into his skull a few times that Kaira noticed something. This whole time, Florina had been holding a weapon. "Florina," she called, causing the young girl to flinch in surprise. "Come over here. Let me see your weapon."

She nodded and, while Lyndis watched carefully, cautiously made her way to the tactician. Kaira took up Florina's lance and weighed it, lifting it up and down easily. She scowled. "Well, _damn_. It's a freakin' _twig_."

Florina looked shocked. "W-What?" she squeaked.

"This is nothing more than a twig. You won't do damage with _this_ thing. You still have the money that the villagers gave you, right?" The other nodded. "Okay, then. Go over to that armory and get yourself a nice, strong iron lance."

"B-But those…those things are _h-heavy_," she murmured, reluctant.

Kaira gave the Pegasus knight her famous 'do-this-or-I-will-abuse-you-both-mentally-and-physically' stare, lifting a brow to add to the effect. "Are you saying that you're better with this stick?"

Florina nodded again, shrinking at Kaira's silent authority.

"Are you saying that you can kill every mercenary with a sword here in your path with this dinky little thing?" the brunette added, tossing the slim lance in the air and catching it by its pole. "Sure, it's light, and easy to thrust into someone's gullet, therefore, able to kill them, but I _doubt_ this thing will stand a _chance_ against multiple attackers…you'll be surrounded before you know it."

"Ah, um…I…"

"Listen to me, here, Florina," Kaira continued. "I know all about your little expedition to find a mercenary troupe to train with for about a year. I know all about that. My aunt was apart of your little knights." Her crimson irises glared at the Pegasus knight, and she could see Lyn bristle and scowl. Behind her, Kent and Sain were looking so very surprised. "No one will want someone who can't even handle a measly iron lance — the very basics of any pole arms. This slim lance is _useless_, Florina and, therefore, _you_ will be useless in later time."

The poor thing looked just about to cry.

"But I'd prefer for that not to happen," said the tactician as Florina's head snapped up. Kaira's voice softened. "I would truly like to see you grow up. I'd like to see you able to take on fifty soldiers without breaking a sweat, whether they have a lance or a sword or an axe. You won't get there with this dainty little thing."

She handed back the twig. "You can keep it with you, if it means so much to you, as a back up, but I _command _you to get a freakin' _iron lance_ or else you're dead meat. Do you know what they do with dead meat, Florina? You do? Good. Now, go."

Nodding, the young girl mounted her flying steed and took off in the direction of the armory.

Lyn was about to speak, when Kaira's face suddenly paled. "Oh, shit," the brunette gasped.

"Kaira?"

"_I forgot about the freakin' archer_!" Kaira shrieked, stumbling to the clearing by the store. She and the others were just in time to see Florina brandish her newly purchased iron lance and strike the archer down in a death blow that sent his head flying.

Sain automatically cheered as he went to the knight's side. She let out a shrill scream when he got too close, but he was undeterred. "Oh, lovely Florina!" he cried in excitement. "So beautifully executed! You looked so very graceful, like a purely sprung lily flower! How — "

Florina quickly scuttled away and to Lyndis' side to escape the flirtatious male's advances. "Lyn! I did it!" she exclaimed happily, literally jumping into Lyn's arms in a crushing hug. A little ways away, Sain's shoulders slumped defeatedly.

"You were amazing, Florina!"

"Good job," Kaira agreed with a tilt of her head and a smile. "Now, you still want to keep that one, right?" she asked indicating the lance near Huey.

Florina shook her head. "No…I…I think you're right. I-It's not suited…f-for all of this…" She took up the pole and held it in front of her. "I-It probably…won't even s-stand up…" And, with one deft motion, she snapped it cleanly in half and dropped the pieces. "…to that."

Sain and Wil cheered, and Lyndis beamed. As the four talked, Kent merely watched Kaira, his curiosity rising within him. "She will be strong," he assured their commander.

The tactician blinked down at the shattered bits, then at the Pegasus knight, and then back to the broken lance. A laugh escaped her while she shook her head. "Yeah. She'll be amazingly strong, but I hope she never realizes that we could've sold that stupid twig."

* * *

_Lately, my muses haven't been giving me my creative juice. They've been hogging it all to themselves, and that leaves me…well…juiceless. So, I was really happy when one (Nicias, my beautiful falcon-boy!) let me take a few sips; he's always been the kinder one of the three (not to mention that I had to let him watch me play FE7.)_

_When I beat the game for the first time, I was extremely happy __―__ Florina kicked so much ass that I squealed every time she attacked. At that time, I had forgotten that she once only carried a freakin' twig for a weapon…So imagine my frustration when I replayed it from the very beginning._

_Ugh._

_By the way, I found out that Florina's Pegasus isn't named 'Huey,' but something else that starts with an 'M.' I can't remember it, though. You can find it out on Hector's tale, in the chapter when you see Lyn again. After Florina falls on the poor guy, just have him talk to her when the battle starts. Just be sure to tell it to me. I forgot it._


End file.
